Once again Sam Harris tries to explain his new book

Sam Harris’ pre-release publicity tour for his new book The Moral Landscape continues, as he once again tries to explain his point. This new Q & A on his website provides a good overview. I find his discussion of the term “moral landscape” to be the most heartening because it includes the notion that there is more than one way for humans to be moral. Perhaps the idea of multiple peaks of morality can help leaven the horrors that have often been committed in the name of One True Morality.

(The Moral Landscape) is the phrase I use to describe the space of all possible experience—where the peaks correspond to the heights of well-being and valleys represent the worst possible suffering. We are all someplace on this landscape, faced with the prospect of moving up or down. Given that our experience is fully constrained by the laws of the universe, there must be scientific answers to the question of how best to move upwards, toward greater happiness.

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Huh... It's worth reading this, but still... huh

An evangelical predicts the collapse of his own movement. This is a good news-bad news kind of read. When former pastor Michael Spencer talks about how it might be a good thing for missionaries from Africa and Asia to come to America to save evangelicals, I get a tad worried. Some Christians in those regions are known for their kill-the-queers mentality.

On the other hand, this is an interesting read for anyone who has been beaten up in the culture war. If the evangelical movement really does collapse, what will that do to our ongoing struggle for equality? Will the organized opposition disappear? (Wouldn't that be wonderful.) Would we barely notice the change since Mormons and conservative Catholics would undoubtedly continue to gleefully blame LGBT people for their own problems. (More likely.)

My fervent personal wish for evangelicals is that they would just stop -- stop spending money, stop spending time, stop spending energy to destroy my family and all the other LGBT folks who want to do nothing more radical than live in peace and raise their children. Just. Frigging. Stop.

If they would get out of the culture war business, I doubt if I'd give evangelicals another thought. My personal belief is that there are many paths up the mountain to enlightenment. If the evangelical path works for you, take it.